Lip scrubs are some kind of beauty genius. While they may sound like an optional, almost unnecessary step in your daily get-pretty regimen, lip scrubs tend to deliver more benefit than a typical facial exfoliator would: they tend to be very hydrating on top of smoothing rough flakes away. Plus, the scrubby granules are often extra small, gentle and effective for lips' very different skin. And adding on a hydrating balm on top helps to seal in the newfound moisture with occlusive ingredients. But why buy when you can DIY?

THE LIP SCRUB:

Sugar is the ultimate exfoliant for a few reasons. First of all, it’s gritty, but not so gritty that you feel like you’re rubbing sandpaper on delicate skin. It’s also a humectant, which means it attracts moisture. So when you rub on lips, the sugar knocks out flaky, rough skin while attracting major moisture to the freshly revealed skin underneath. I add coconut oil as a base because I love the texture and the taste: Coconut oil is super light and absorbs quickly.

I also like to mix honey into my scrubs. Not only because of its yummy taste, but also because it’s filled with tons of natural, healthy healers: Honey is antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial. Plus, it’s antinflammatory which means it will calm skin irritation down in a flash. My latest obsession, though, is to add a touch of clove. It makes the scrub taste yummy and wintry, and boosts circulation in your skin so lips look a little rosy.

In a bowl, drop two tablespoons of super-coarse sugar (white usually holds up the best), one tablespoon of honey, one and a half tablespoons of coconut oil and a super generous pinch of ground clove. Use a small knife or chopstick to fold ingredients together, making sure not to actually stir, since stirring will melt the sugar. If you want save some scrub for later, you can double the recipe and add an extra tablespoon of sugar. Store in a small mason jar. I usually don’t keep it more than a couple weeks, though, since it turns liquidy after a while and it’s so easy to whip up a fresh batch.

THE LIP BALM:

Good news, gals: Whipping up your own lip balm is crazy easy (even if we are obsessed with the store-bought balms from Sunbum). All you need is beeswax, coconut oil (which you already have from making the scrub), and your favorite essential oil. The only trick? Finding beeswax pellets. I get them at Whole Foods, but they are all over Amazon too.

Once you have everything, drop two tablespoons of beeswax pellets in a small, microwave-safe bowl and nuke ‘em for about three minutes or until they are melted. Once it’s melted and creamy, add two tablespoons of coconut oil and ten drops of essential oil — I like peppermint, but you can experiment with whatever is safe to eat. [Ed. note: I heart lavender. – RJ] Stir them together with a wooden chopstick and pour it into another small mason jar or whatever container you want.

Once the mixture cools, you’re GTG. Beeswax, which is used a lot in the healing of skin-deep wounds, and coconut oil both have a ton of antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, totally hydrating benefits. Plus, the beeswax locks in the coconut oil’s moisture better than goopy petroleum jelly does.

Oh, and if you want a hint of tint, add a few drops of beet juice for a gorgeous rosy flush.